The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1887-06-01
WOMEN AT THE pOLLS.
Eow tbs ;'air Ones of Washington Terri
tory Cast Their Ballots.

W -AA-A--> w -Ni-A-th, '~AAiA-oVCAi
tenderfoot and acquainted with few il
our vicinity, | was appointed Judge 0
election Ii Mica precinct. 4 struggl
was in prrgress betwixt rival towns 10
the county seat, and runners had beer
through the precincts urging everybody
to bring ont the votes of the ladies. Il
this chivalrous region our women hav,
equal prerogatives with men, although
they view the ballot with an indifference
agonizing to al advocates Of suffrage.
1 went early to the polls, q small, log
school house in the hills, shadowed by
lofty pines. \ rough wagon road raj
by the school house, wherein deer tracks
were quite as common as hoof-prlnts Of
horses.
The ladies were not early at the polls.
4 little before noon came I; mlly
party, man wife and three children.
Soon after, from every direction, as ii
by preconcerted arrangement, wagons
drove up containing similar households.
/ Not only were all the little ones brought
along, but enormous Jugs Of milk and
baskets OF lunch. The bachelors scat
tered tinidly and the ladies swarred in
upon US, moved tie benches around the
fire, blockaded the doorway, and took
entire possession OF the premises. They
were farmers wives, buxom, sensible
and energetic A more domestic scene
one seldom sees. Here mott ar nursing
her baby, there a fond father ,roling his
infant daughter, yonder knot OF women
exchanging recipes for mixed pickles,
and again an eager group setting out
lunch and passing pie and sliced pork
to their friends.
could not at first understand this in
7as;on, until | learned that tie school
house was the one public resort for
social purposes. Dances, parties, sing
ing schools, preaching and political
meetings all were held here. 4 gather
ing at the school house was the signal
for general assamb!age OF friends, aud
the women had evidently given more
thought to this fact than to the original
motive of the occasion.
Still they came. By noon the build
ing was fairly packed, and the picnic
appearance increased with every arrival.
IF you iron ginghams and calicoes on
the wrong side they look
"His very best COW. The snow was
deep, and all the poor thing got to eat
was moss
"They say her y:tuals taste OF pine
gum half the time. Drops from tic
pitch rafters'
81 pulled the poor cl;ld's tooth MY
self, So
"Who shall you vote for, Sue:''
Me? l don't know. Jack amt here
yet
mamma. give ne some PIE, too
''Oh, Eliza, at the polls sitter ali"
eyes. Didn want to come q bit. Bill
is Republican and | told him I'd vote
Democratic sure ii he made me come.
But lie said no matter, SO long aswe both
vote for Spokane Falls.
"Pooh! | guess were every bit rs sharp
us tie men folks
s'Don't vote for Spicer. They say he
treats his wife perfectly awful.
81 tell you, times has changed com
mented man in blouse and overalls
leaning against pine. "When 7 was
coy, to home in Indianny, I reeojlect
hearin' nav and paw talk this votin'
business over. Il tell ye, says the old
man to her, 4 wouldn't have ye go 10
the polls nolow. You'd have to walk
up to the box throagh crowd OF loaf
ers, all smokin' pipes and starin' at ye,
and you'd sink through the floor He
orto be here now."
But at last, after lunch was eaten and
put away, and the babies had had their
maps and the ladies had exhausted all the
gossip, general movement was made
toward departure. 1t was q long way
home, and the COWS to mix, and water
to draw, and supper to get, and the
breakfast dishes to wash at the heels Of
all.
After such festival one might sup
pose the ladies would vote cheerIy, but
this was not the case. It had been post
poned as long as possible and now that
it must actually be doIe they went at it
spitefully.
Here was husband handing rival
tickets to his wife and saying for
the public ear, ''You can vote whichever
you ike" at the same time gripping his
own ballot with resolute air and jaw
Of such outline aS made one hope his
spouse would vote as he did, in the in
terests of domestic peace. There dame
wss iulperatirel y thrusting on her hus:
band the prohibition ticket.
These prohibition ladies were earnest
and intelligent. They advanced firmly
TO the polls and gave III their ballots
with an air of satisfaction. Beyond these
few who had definite personal lureose
the voting was perfunctory and done
with manifest dislike. The ladies each
handed their ballot to the inspector hesi-
tatingiy, watched curiously as ne put it
in the box and turned away with toss
OF the head.
There It's the frst time l ever
voted, and it'll be tie last: ~
y nope Spokane Falls gets the conn
t. seat so VIC car stay home neyi time. >
.>lonng men must be growing weak
minded when you drag an old lady ike
re cut to vote. I'm 20 Years old. Old
enough 10 know betterl''
And With contemptuous cir the danes
retired 10 the wagons. Alas! The per-
versity OF nature! While many of their
sisters IN the east sigh ior suffrage those
who have it hold It IL dis6ain.
Now came young Tyndall and his wife
on horseback, and there was quite q stir
among the ladies who still IN the wagons
and the '.baches' around the .rees.
Tyndall had purchased the Oldest and